Show not quite a whole new world

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No doubt the multitudes of little lasses decked out in pink will enjoy "Princess Wishes," a not-quite extravaganza presented by Disney On Ice.

Moving from San Jose to Oakland’s Oracle Arena this week, the show is spotty in concept and sometimes in execution, particularly to the adult eye. Nevertheless, it delivers on all counts to those for whom it matters — the pint-sized cuties simply thrilled to see their heroines Jasmine, Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Mulan, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White in the flesh. Oh, and Tinker Bell, too.

The show — tricky to follow, and less than satisfying in that there’s little in the way of resolution — isn’t more than a series of vignettes in which each Disney gal realizes a wish. (This information was gleaned from the $20 program, not actually from watching the show.) One cool thing: All of the wishes don’t necessarily involve being saved by a prince.

The best scene is the first, featuring Andrew Buchanan as Aladdin and Brittney Lusk as Jasmine. The couple stood out from the rest of the performers, truly looking like a world-class competitive skating pair and taking excellent advantage of extensive production values that weren’t in some other parts of the show.

The truncated "Beauty and the Beast" segment awkwardly had Belle, but no beast. It was, however, the delightful "Be My Guest" number well-known from the movie.

The same goes for "Under the Sea" from "The Little Mermaid." The production number, boasting what looked like the entire cast, was filled with colorful marine life costumes and real bubbles.

Snow White and her dwarves made a fun, if retro, appearance, while Mulan seemed to get short shrift. Perhaps the biggest moment comes in the Sleeping Beauty segment, when Prince Philip slays a ferocious dragon — by far the show’s most impressive prop.

Cinderella, in an excellent carriage, is wooed by Prince Charming, played by George Selimos, another athlete whose history in competitive skating sets him apart from the rest of the ensemble.

His performance was a great way to top off the show, before all of the princesses and their male counterparts, along with Tinker Bell, Mickey and Minnie Mouse (in a stunning white, sparkly dress) and Goofy come together for the upbeat finale.